Fluid regulator



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Filed May 19, 1924 July 31, 1928.

O. B. GOLDKAMP FLUID REGULATOR Offb 5 60mn/64M@ 35% VMM/fwd July 3l, 192.8. 1,679,215

o. B. GOLDKAMP FLUID REGULATO R i ed May 19, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 OTTO B. GOLD/AMR afiorneq' July 3l, 1928.

O. B. GOLDKAM F FLUID REGULATO R gwn@ x )r o1, 0770 B, GOLD/AMR l [35% m/m/l/I/wl/ O. B. GOLDKAM-P FLUID REGULATO R July 31, 192s.

Filed May 19, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet Fife. 3.

:Jnmnioz OTTO 5. GOLD/04M@ Patented July 31, 1928.

p IUNITED STATES 1,679,215 PATENT 4'oi-"Fica OTTO B. GOLDKAMP, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 SAN DIEGO CONSOLIDATED GAS AN D'ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA, AND ONE-FOURTH T0 SELMAR R. SIEBERT, OF

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

FLUID REGULATOR.

Application led May 19, 1924. Serial No. 714,38`2.

My invention relates to fiuid pressure regulators, more particularly adaptable` for regulating the pressure and volume of fuel as in main lines as well as in individual eed lines installed for domestic consumption, and the objects of my invention are: First, to provide a fluid regulator whereby the pressure in main pipe-lines or 1 n mollvidlial feed or service lines, in whlch the re ulator is positioned, may be increased or he d at a constant pressure as the load factor or consumption increases, instead of belng decreased as in the conventional fiuid regulators now in use; second, to provide a vacuum and pressure actuated dlaphragm in connection with Huid regulators for actuating the discharge valve, the regulat1on of the valve being dependent upon the velocity of flow of the iuid through the pipe-line with which it is connected; third, to p rovlde a fluid regulator of this class which 1s provided with an auxiliary diaphragm actuated by the volume of the fluid in the regulator, which dia hragm is adapted to modify the fiow of fluld through'the discharge valve as the load factor or consumption of the iuid increases; fourth, to provide an .auxiliary means, such as a spring, which is adapted to'vcounterbalance, to a certain extent, the weight of the vacuum actuated means of the regulator; fth, to provide a partlalyacuum producing means in connection with a fluid regulator which communicates with a vacuum chamber provided with a diaphragm in the wall thereof,` wh1c h diaphragm is operatively connected with the discharge valve of jthe regulator; sixth, to provide an. injector means at the discharge portion of the regulator, the outer peripheral portion of said injector means com-V municating by means of a passage or conductor with said vacuum chamber; seventh, toprovide a Y-connection contiguous to the injector means of my 'fluid' regulator; eighth, to provide a Venturi means for producing a partial vacuum in the valve regulati-ng vacuum chamber; ninth, to provide a vacuum and pressure actuated diaphragm in connection with a fluid regulator which diaphragm is adapted to be operatively connected with the discharge valve of thesame `in various ways, dependent upon the initial main pressure and the reduction of pressure desired in. the service lines; tenth, to provlde a fluid reglator'of particularly great -capacity which will hold the fluid in the pipe-lines at a constant'pressure regardless of the volume of fluid drawn orconsumed up to its capacity; eleventh, to provide as a whole, novelly constructed Huid regulators of this class, and twelfth, to provide such regulators which are very simple and economical of construction proportionate to their functions, durable, reliable, flexible, readily responsive to various pressures, and which will not readily deteriorate or get Yout of order.

lVith these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, I sists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, scribed in detail and particularly set fort-h in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon, which form a part of this application, in which:

Fi ure 1 is a sectional elevational view of one ulator with the section taken through the middle thereof, showing certain parts and portions thereof. in elevation-to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 2 is a partial plan and partial sectional view thereof with the view taken at 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the valve structure thereof with the section taken through 3-3 of Fig. 1;*Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational View of another form of construction of my regulator with the section taken through the middle thereof and showing certain parts and portions in elevation to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevational view of the regulator shown lin Fig.`

4 with the section taken through 5 5 thereof; Fig., 6 is a sectional elevational view of another form of construction of my regulator with the section taken through the middle thereof, showing also certain parts and portions in elevation; Fig. 7 is another form of construction of my regulator, particularly adapted for reducing the pressure of fuel gas in main service lines, with the section taken through the middle thereof and showing certain` parts and portions in elevation; Fig. 8v is another slightly different my invention cont `as wil-l be hereinafter deorm of construction of my Huid regform of construction of my regulator, showl ing a lever connection between the vacuum and pressure actuated diaphragm and the and pressure actuated diaphragm, with the section taken through the middle thereof, showingl also certain parts vand portions in elevation to facilitate the illustration.

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

My fluid regulators, as illustrated in the drawings and as will be described hereafter, are particularly adapted for regulating the pressure and volume of fuel gas in pipelines for consumption.

The main enclosure of my gas regulator, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, consists of the pressure chamber member 1, the vacuum chamber 2 and the casing member 3, the latter being positioned between the members 1 and 2. In the member 1 are provided inlet and'outlet openings 1a and 1b, respectively. To the inlet portion of the member 1 is secured the T fitting 4, which.

is connected with the inlet or supply conductor 5. At the inlet portion of the chamber member 1 is positioned a gas regulating valve member 6, which is reciprocally mounted in guide portions 1P extending lnwardly from the walls ofthe memberI 1. Said valve member 6 is adapted, when closed, to engage a seat portion 4 extending toward said valve member from the wall of the fitting 4, there being provided an opening 4b, at the middle of the seat portion, communicating with the interior of said fitting. Between the members 1 and 3, and 3 and 2 are positioned and secured valve actuating'diaphragms 7 and 8, respectively, which serve also as gaskets between said members. At the middle portions ofthe upper and the lower sides of the dia-- phragms 7 and 8 are secured the circular diaphragm plates 9, which are provided with outwardly turned outer edges. The plate 9 on the under side of the diaphragm 7 is provided with a downwardly extending lug 10, which is pivotally connected, by means of the links 11, with the inner ends of the toggle members 12 and 13, the opposite ends of the toggle member-s 12 being pivotally connected with the one end of the valve member 6, and the other toggle members 13 being pivotally connected with the valve ac- A tuating rod 14, reciprocally mounted in thestuifing box member 15 positioned in the side wa'll of the chamber member 1 at the side opposite the inlet portion thereof. The lug 10, secured to the plate 9 on the under side of the diaphragm 8, is pivotally oonnected by meansof the links 16 with the innerl ends of the toggle members 17 and 18,

the 'toggle members 17 being pivotally mounted at their oppositeends on a lug on 'the inside of the side wall vof the casing member 3. The toggle .member 18 is pivotally connected at itsop-posite end with an arm 19 extending outwardly from and adjustably mounted on the valve actuating rod 14 at the portion thereof extending outwardly from the chamber member 1. -At the outwardly extended endof the rod 14 is secured the stop and guide member 20, whch is reciprocally mounted in the bearing 21 and is adapted to enga-ge an adjustable stop screw 22 when the rod 14 is forced outwardly a predetermined distance.

At the outlet opening 1b of the pressure chamber member 1 is connected the discharge conductor 23, which is provided-with an in-l jector nozzle 24. Said injecto-r nozzle screwably secured at the one run end of the Y-iitting 25, which is connected at its other run end with the service pipe 26. The side outlet of the Y-itting is connected by means of the conductor 27 with the vacuum chamber V, between the vacuum chamberI member 2 and the diaphragm 8. This injector nozzle together with the Y-connection of the fitting 25 provides a Vent-uri means for increasing the flow of gas and producing a correspondingparti'al vacuum in the ,vacuum chamber V connected therewith.

At the upper portion of the ,"acuum chamber member 2 is provided a spring casing 28 in which is positioned a compression spring 29 through which extends thel diaphragm balancing rod 30. Said rod is provided near its upper end withl a spring retaining collar 31 and a pair of lock nuts 32 for adjusting the compression ofthe spring 29.

To the wall of the casing member 3 is secured an inwardly extending lug 3a in which is mounted a stop screw 33, which extends through an elongated slot in the toggle member 18 and which is provided at its lower end with a stop member 33a adapted to limit thedownward movement of said toggle member.

lVhen the fuel gas or other fluid in the service pipev 26 is being co-nsumed, the gas passing through the injector nozzle 24 causes a partial vacuum around the outer portion of said nozzle, which causes a corresponding partial vacuum in the vacuum chamber V, causing the atmospheric pressure within the casing member 3, connected with the atmosphere, to forceothe diaphragm 8 upwardly, aided in said movement by means o-f the compression spring 29 adapted to neutralize the weight of the diaphragm and other members secured thereto. The upward movement of said diaphragm causes the toggle members 18 to be raised at their inner ends, forcing the arm 19 and, therefore, the rod 14 outwardly, which removes the valve member G from its*v seat. As the consumption in the pipe 26 increases, the diaphragm 8 is' correspondingly forced upwardly, moving the valve member 6 farther from its seat. the volume land the pressure of the gas in the pressure chamber P increases, by reason of the large opening between the valve member 6 and its sea-t, the diaphragm 7 is forced upwardly tending to close the valve member 6 slightly, therefore, modifying th-e action of the diaphragm 8. The stop member 33'f1 is' adapted to prevent the toggle members 17 and 18 Vfrom engaging with the upper plate of the diaphragm 7 and also to prevent the toggle members 12 and 13 from engaging with the lower wall of the chamber member 1. `When the flow of gas in the pipe 26 is reduced or shut off, the vacuum in the vacuum'chamber V is decreased, changing the vacuum to pressure when the consump tion is shut off, thus forcing the diaphragm 8 downwardly as well as the diaphragm 7 upwardly, prod ucinga' double action tending to close the valve member 6 against its seat.

In the regulator `shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings the chamber member 1 and t-he casing 3 are combined in one member 34, and only 4one diaphragm; 8 is employed. The combined pressure chamber member and casing 34, in this latter form of construction, is provided with an integral injector nozzle 34a at its lower portion which communicates with the interior of a hollow, downwardly projecting portion 34h to which is ,secured the service pipe 2 6. The member 34 is provided with an angularly positioned conductor 34C, cast integrally therewith, which communicates at its one end with the hollow portion 34b at a portion near the end of the injector nozzle 34a, sub- .stantially as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. 4The other end of the conductor 34c communicates withthe interior of the vacuum chamber V, formed between the chamber member 2 and the diaphragm 8, outside of the main portion thereof, as shown best in Fig. 5. The toggle member 18 in this latter form of construction is pivotally connected at its outer end with the inner end of a rod 35 reciprocally mounted in the wall of the upper portion of the member 34 forming the air compartment and enclosing the toggle members. The compartment in which said toggle members are positioned communicates with the atmosphere by means of a port or ports, 34d in the wall of the member 34. The outwardly extended end of the rod 35 is pivotally connected with the one end of a lever 36 which ispivotally mounted on a lug 34e at the lower end of themember 34. The valve member 6' is provided with .a rod 37 which extends through the pressure chamber P and outer wallof the member34, and is provided at its outwardly extended end with a valve adjusting member 38 which is pivotally connected at its opposite sides, intermediate the ends of the lever 36.

Thus it will be seen that as the fuel gas or other fluid in the service pipe 26 is be ing consumed, a. partial vacuum will be formed in the vacuum chamber V, causing the diaphragm 8. to be forced upwardly by reason of latmospheric pressure on the under side of the same, forcing the rod 35 outwardly, causing the valve member 6 to be withdrawn from its seat. The combined action of the lever 36 and the togglemembers 17 and 18 causes a considerable force to be exerted by the valve member 6 against its seat, resulting in an effective seal when no gas is used.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings I have shown another double-diaphragm gas regulator in which the lower diaphragm 7, forming the upper wall of the pressure chamber of the member 1, is pivotally connected, by means of upwardly extending lugs 9a secured to the upper daphragm plate 9, to the outer ends of toggle members 39 which' are piv' otally mounted intermediate their ends, by means of screws 40, on lugs 3h extending inwardly from the `wall of the casing member 3. Said casing member 3, -`,in this latter form of construction, isalso-positioned between thechamber members Vland 2, as described in connection with the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and- 3. The inner ends of the toggleV members 39 are pivotally connected to the lug 10 extending downwardly from the lower plate of the diaphragm 8. There are provided longitudinal slots at both ends of each of the toggle members 39 to permit free movement of the same at their connections with the lugs 9a and the lug 10. Within the pressure chamber P are positioned the toggle members 12 and 13, which are pivotally connected at their innerl ends, by means of the link 11, with a lug 10 extending downwardly from the plate 9 at the under side of the' diaphragm 7. The toggle `member 12 is pivotally connected at itsouter end lwith the valve member 6, while the toggle member 13 is pivotally mounted at its outer end on a lug 1d extending inwardly from the wall of the chamber member 1. The chamber member 1 is also provided, in the wall at its under side, with an outwardly extending injector nozzle 1 which communicates with the service pipe 26, as described in connection with the structure showrf in Figs. 4 and ,5. In this latter form of construction there is also provided a conductor 1f which communicates angularly, at its lower end, with the portion surrounding the end of they-injector nozzle, and which communicates at its other end with the vacuum chamber V.

The action of the diaphragm 8 in its latter form of construction is positive with relation 'tothe closing of the valve member 6 against its seat, but is adapted to be modied in its action by the .diaphragm 7 when the volume and pressure of the gas in the pressure chamber become excessive.

The regulator shown in Fig.l 7 of the drawings is particularly adapted to be in' diaphragm 8 is directly connected, `by means.

of the rod 41, with the one end' ota link 42, lwhich is pivotally connected at its opposite end with the inner ends of the toggle members 43 and 44, the toggle member 43 being pivotally connected with the one end of the valve'mernber Gand the other toggle member being mounted at its opposite end on a lug 34t within the pressure chamber of the member 34. The wall of the member 34 separating the pressure chamber ,thereof from the compartment communicating with the atmosphere is preferably provided with a stuiing box 45, through which the rod 41 extends.

The regulators shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings illustrate a lever actuated valve means. In these latter structures the valve member 6 is mounted, by means of a ball and socket joint, at the end of a bolt 47 secured at the short end of the lever 46 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a lug within the chamber member 1. The opposite end of the lever 46 is pivotally connected to the one end of a rod 47 which extends through the wall of said chamber member andA is pivotally connected at the portion extending outwardly from said chamber member to a lever 48. Said last mentioned lever is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a lug extending upwardly from the chamber member 1, and is pivotally connected at its opposite end with a lug extending downwardly from the lower plate 9 of the diaphragm 8. Said diaphragm is secured between a vacuum chamber,- member 2 and a casing member 3, as described in connection with certain-otl the other structures. Between the upper end of vthe rod 47, positioned outwardly from the casing member 1, and the onel end of the adjusting screw 49, secured in an outwardly extending portion of theehamber member 2, is positioned a compression lspring -50 which is adapted to counter-balance the weight of the diaphragm 8 and the members secured thereto. and outlet pipesor conductors are in substantially direct alinement with each other to reduce ,the resistance oit' Agas How to a minimum, The injector 'nozzle 2'? in this In the latter regulators ythe inlet` construction. is positionedwithin and to one side of the chamber member 2 and communicates by means of a passage 3 in the casing member 3 with the interior of the chamber member 1. The end of the nozzle 2a extends into a chamberwhich communicates, by means of an angularly positioned passage 2b, with the interior of the vacuum chamber V of the member 2.. lIn the passage connecting the end of the injector nozzle 2a with the service pipe 26 is provided a reduced portion orl venturi 2 adapted to accelerate the flow of gas from the end of the injector nozzle. D

The structure, as shown'in Fig. 9 of the drawings, shows another diaphragm 7 pivotally connected to the lever 46 between' its pivotal vmounting and the end' connected with the rod 47. Said latter diaphragm serves to modify, to a certain extent, the action of the diaphragm 8 to close the valve against its seat. .i

It is obvious from this construction, as illustratedin the drawings and disclosed in the foregoing speciicatiomthat there are provided fluid regulators particularly adapted for regulating the pressure, volume and iiow of fuel gas in gas mains and individual service pipes, as aimed at and set forth in the objects of theinvention, and though I have shown andA described certain particular constructions, combinations and arrangements, of parts and ortions of gas regulators, I do not wish to e limited to these particular constructions, combinations and arrangements, but desire to include in the scope `of my invention the constructions, combinations an'd arrangements substantially as set forth in the appended claims. f

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure'by Let`-` ters Patent, is:

1. In a fluid regulator, a fluid conducting means, a valve member shiftably mounted therein, a Venturi means positioned in said Huid conducting means, a vacuum chamber member provided on one side with a diaphragm whose axis is disposed at right angles to the axis of said valve member,the interior of said chamber member communie catinor with said Huid conducting means at said Venturi means, lever and link means operatively connecting saidl diaphragm with said valve member, a pressure chamber member communicating with said iiuid conducting means between-said valve member and said Venturi means. and provided on one side with a diaphragm in spaced parallel relation with said first diaphragm, vand a link means connecting said last mentioned diaphragm with said lever and link means.

2. In a iluid regulator, a fluid conducting means, a valve member shiftably mounted therein, a Venturi means positionedY in said 'l Huid conducting means, a vacuum chamber conducting means,

member provided on one side with a diaphragm, the interior of said chamber mem- `last mentioned diaphragm with said valve member, and a spring means operatively connected with said first mentioned dia- -phragmv for counterbalancing the weight of the same and the members connected thereto. 3. In a fluid pressure regulator, a fluid conducting means, a valve positioned in said conducting means, an injector nozzle positioned in said conductin means, a vacuum chamber member provi ed with a flexible diaphragm subjected on one side to atmospheric pressure, a conductor connecting the interior of said vacuum chamber member'by an angular passage with said conducting means at said injector nozzle, a toggle and link means operatively connecting said diaphragm with said valve, a pressure chamber member provided with a flexible diaphragm subjected on one side to atmospheric pressure, the interior of said ressuie chamber member communicating with said conducting means between said valve andv said .injector nozzle, and a link means. connecting said last mentioned diaphragm with said toggle and link means.

l. In a fluid pressure regulator, a fluid a valve positioned in said conducting means, an injector nozzle positioned in said conducting means, a vacuum chamber member provided with a flexible diaphragm subjected on one side to'atmospheric pressure, a conductor connecting the interior of said vacuum chamber member by an angular passage with said conducting means at said injector nozzle, a means operatively connecting said diaphraom with .said valve, a pressure chamber member provided with a flexible diaphragm subjected on one side to atmospheric pressure, the interior of said pressure chamber member communicating with said conducting means between said valve and said injector nozzle, means operatively connecting said last mentioned diaphragm with the means connected to saidV valve, and a spring means operatively connected with said first mentioned diaphragm for counterbalancing the weight of the same and the members connected thereto.

5. In a fluid regulator, a pressure chamber provided with fluid inlet and outlet openings, a valve means reciprocally movable in one of said openings, a vacuum producing means connected to the other opening, a

vacuum chamber superposed on said ,pressure chamber, a diaphragm supported therein, the axis of said diaphragm being substantially vertical to the axis of said valve, a rod and toggle means operatively connecting said diaphragm with said valve means, said diaphragm being exposed on one side to atmospheric pressure.

6. In a fluid regulator, a pressure chamber member, fluid inlet and outlet openings therein, a valve member positioned in one of said openings, vacuum producing means connected to the other opening, a vacuum chamber member superposed on said pressure chamber member, a diaphragm secured to the lower marginof said latter chamber member, spacing means separating said diaphragm from the pressure chamber member and forming an intermediate atmos heric pressure chamber therewith, and ro and toggle means connecting said diaphragm with said valve. l

7. In a fluid regulator, a pressure chamber member provided with fluid inlet and out- -let openings, va valve means in one of said openings, vacuum producing means at the other of said openings, a vacuum chamber member superposed on said pressure chamber member, a diaphragm secured to the upper margin of said pressure chambermember, a second diaphragm secured `to the lower margin of said vacuum chamber member in spaced apart parallel relation with said first diaphragm, a central spacing member form-l ing an atmospheric pressure chamber between s'aid diaphragms, and toggle means as- 100 sociated with said diaphragm operatively connected with said valve.

8. In a fluid regulator, a pressure chamber member provided with fluidl inlet and outlet openings, a valve positioned in one of said openings, al vacuum producing means connected with the other of said openings,

a vacuum chamber member superposed on said pressure chamber member, a spacing member positioned between said pressure and vacuum member, a diaphragm supported in between the upper margin of said pressure chamber member and said spacing member, a second diaphragm supported between the lower margin of said vacuum member and said spacing member, said diaphragm forming with said spacing member an intermediate atmospheric pressure chamber, an adjustable spring means supported on said vacuum chamber member for balancing the weight of said second diaphragm and actuating means connecting said diaphragms with said valve.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, California, this 29th 125 day of April, 1924.

OTTO B. GOLDKAMI). 

